Tomorrow Never Comes
by Catch My Smile
Summary: This looks deep into Rogue's past- much too deep for Rogues liking- and uncovers secrets that she herself never knew. Can Remy drag her back to reality, or will Rogue have to spend the rest of of her days living in her past?
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so this is my first ever fanfiction, and I'm actually quite nervous to know what you think so PLEASE review. Sadly I don't own X-men, but two of the bad guys in this story I do own (how come my brain is only able to come up with the bad mutants...?)

So read and maybe tell me what you think with reviews..

**COMPETITION TIME!:**

**I'm looking for a character to introduce in an X-men fic I'm writing after I've finished the one I'm writing now. **

**I want *YOU* to come up with a character.**

**They can be good, evil, boy girl, adult, child or teenager. It's totally up to you.**

**I'm giving this to my 50th reviewer on my current fic: 'Tomorrow Never Comes.'**

**GOOD LUCK!**

Rogue swung her legs left and right. She was sitting in a large oak tree in the mansion garden. It was reasonably secluded so she had some peace and quiet, a feeling very rare when you live at the mansion. Her fingers traced over the ruby ring on her index finger. Her mother had given it to her when she was twelve and she never took it off. Her mum had told her that _her _mother, Rogue's grandmother, had given the ring to her when she was twelve. Rogue felt proud to wear it.

At times she missed her parents. She hadn't even stayed at home long enough to hear their reactions of her being a mutant. She doesn't regret coming to the mansion, she had great friends here, but some of her happiest memories are from home. She was seventeen now, four years since she had left.

_Rogue, I'll need to see you in my office._

Rogue sighed and then jumped down from her tree. She tapped it with her knuckles twice. Her parents had always said this was good luck. She took her time getting to the Professor's office. From past experiences, nothing she had heard in that office had been _good _news. When she finally reached the room, she didn't bother knocking and walked straight in.

"Hello Rogue," Professor Xavier greeted.

"Gee, you're almost as late as Cajun," Jean snorted. She and Cyclops were sitting in the corner holding hands. Scott gave Jean a look which Rogue didn't understand. Logan was standing by the window holding Storm's hand. They looked up as she came in. He smiled reassuringly at her and she couldn't help but wonder if he knew something she didn't.

"Please, Rogue, take a seat," the professor motioned towards a seat in front of him. A few minutes later, Remy walked in. He winked at Rogue and sat in the seat beside Rogue. Rogue couldn't help but wonder what they were all doing there. If Remy was thinking the same thing, he didn't let on. "I'm afraid we have a problem," confessed Xavier. _What a surprise, _Rogue thought to herself. Xavier's eyes kept sliding over to Rogue. "There appears to be some sort of unknown disease travelling around Bayville. We don't know how, but once someone catches it, they seem to just drop dead within 24 hours. There are two main suspects..."

A translucent screen slid up between Xavier and Rogue. The face of a man appeared. He looked like he was in his mid thirties and around his chin lay a, in Rogue's opinion, a pathetic attempt at a beard. "Wilbur Reese otherwise known as Shift. He can change into any object big or small. He can change from a pencil to a monster truck in seconds... He used to own the Bayville hardware store. It has been in his family for generations, but he lost it when he ran out of money. Disgraced, he turns away from his family and friends and slowly turned sour. He has been arrested five times and escaped each time. We believe that he had help escaping . . . from her," the picture disappeared and another photo came into sight.

"This is Melissa Howard, also known as Sorceress. She can cast mind control spells and is very, _very_ dangerous." Rogue squinted and stared intently at the screen. She had definitely seen this woman before but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"She used to be a psychiatrist, the most well known in Bayville in fact, but got fired once her boss found out that she was using mind control to cure her patients. She disappeared days later.

She was caught running through the prison on the night of Reese's escape right before all the cameras in the place went out." He stopped talking and the screen disappeared. "I need you all on this, people are dying everywhere in Bayville. If we're not careful it might spread."

"Even me?" Remy asked.

"Yes, even you," the professor smiled.

"What!" Wolverine burst out. "I have to work with _him?"_ Remy gave him a cocky grin.

"Deal with it, Fido," Remy smirked. Logan rolled his eyes. Rogue did the same.

"Shut up, Swamp Rat," Rogue said. Storm put her arms around Wolverine's neck. He sighed and went back to staring out the window.

After some plans on how to find Wilbur and Melissa, Wolverine left first, followed by Jean and Scott, then Remy. Rogue was just reaching from the door handle and turned. Xavier was looking at her with a knowing look.

"What aren't you telling us? What aren't you telling _me_?" Rogue surprised herself slightly by asking this, but she didn't take it back.

The professor's face darkened. "Be careful on this trip Rogue, and remember what these people are doing." He didn't say any more. Rogue left the room and walked down the hall. She didn't notice Gambit standing outside the professor's room. He had heard everything and he knew all too well what the professor's tone of voice meant.

_Come on in Remy, I know you're there._

He opened the door but didn't step inside. The professor was still sitting behind his desk.

"What did that all mean, what you said to Rogue?" he asked, leaning against the doorway. Professor Xavier thought for a moment, and then said: "Keep an eye one Rogue, Remy." _Gladly, _he thought to himself. He left the professor's room slightly confused.

Keep an eye on Rogue, eh? This may not be such a bad idea after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**COMPETITION TIME!:**

**I'm looking for a character to introduce in an X-men fic I'm writing after I've finished the one I'm writing now. **

**I want *YOU* to come up with a character.**

**They can be good, evil, boy girl, adult, child or teenager. It's totally up to you.**

**I'm giving this to my 50th reviewer on my current fic: 'Tomorrow Never Comes.'**

**GOOD LUCK!**

Chapter 2

Rogue walked around the mansion garden. She couldn't stop thinking about the mission. She knew she had seen Melissa from somewhere but was afraid to bring it up to somebody, and what did Xavier mean when he had said: _remember what these people are doing._ Did it mean he thought she was forgetful or was it something much more complex? Rogue desperately wanted it to be the first option, but there was something tugging at the back of her mind, something she couldn't see or feel, always out of sight, just out of reach...

"You OK, Stripes?" Logan asked, walking up behind her.

"'Course." They walked in silence through the garden for a moment.

"Look, I saw your face during that talk in Xavier's office. You seemed pretty upset I... I mean I..."

"Logan, I'm fine. It's just...upsetting, that's all," Rogue told him. Wolverine didn't believe her, she could tell by his face.

"Alright. You know, if something's bothering you, you can always-"

"Tell you. Ah got it Logan." She avoided eye contact with him. Suddenly, Rogue heard a: "Wolverine!" Jean Grey approached them and stared Wolverine in the eye. "The Professor wants to see us all in his office, it's urgent." Jean pretended she didn't see Rogue; she just stood there gazing into Wolverine's eyes.

_You keep tryin' darlin', _Rogue thought to herself. _He's never gonna fall for you._ Wolverine glanced at Rogue. She was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. It was shocking how openly Jean flirted with Wolverine even though she's engaged to Scott.

"Is it really _so _important that you can't acknowledge Rogue's existence." Jean blushed bright red. She broke her gaze with Logan and stared at her own feet.

"The Professor wants to see us, Rogue." She scurried off like an ashamed mouse which made Rogue grin broadly.

"Thank you so _very _much," Rogue smiled. Wolverine tried to look serious but cracked up halfway through.

"How did we ever amuse ourselves before we met her?" he asked. Rogue laughed and walked off to Xavier's office with Wolverine.

Wolverine and Rogue walked in to see Remy and Storm on either side of Xavier and Jean burying her head in Scott's shoulder. Remy looked up and gave Rogue a cheeky smile before saying: "The disease has a name."

Wolverine walked over and intertwined his hand with Storm's. The professor looked up for the first time. Rogue hadn't noticed but his head had been bent over a sheet of paper. He handed it to Storm and Rogue and Wolverine read it over her shoulder.

_M will kill when attacked._

_M will harm when harmed._

_M is deadly, but has life._

_M has life, but is death._

Remy crept up behind Rogue and read it. "I don't understand," Gambit stated.

"Shocker," Rogue elbowed Wolverine over his remark.

"_Anyway,_" Remy said, scowling at Wolverine, "What does it mean?"

For the first time, Rogue saw a confused look on Xavier's face. "I'm sorry but I don't know yet. We've had Professor Grey working on them but there's no DNA on any of them. Whoever this is they're good." He turned towards Jean. "Run as many tests as you can. Twelve more people were affected by this disease which we now know as 'M'. One of which is mutant."

Everyone looked up at this. There had been a shortage of mutants for about a month now. The amount had almost halved. "Let me show you."

The professor took them down to the ward. It was almost empty due to the mutant shortage, but there were a good three kids in there. There was a twelve year old boy with a headache, nineteen year old girl with a toothache and a seventeen year old insomniac who was catching up on his sleep, but when they entered a door with no mark, every single one of them gasped.

It looked like a boy who was about three years older than Rogue in a clear white hospital gown with all sorts of cables and cords hooked up to him. He would have looked peaceful lying in the crisp white bed if it weren't for the fact that he was...well... blue. He had carvings all over him that looked like holy symbols. Xavier wheeled up beside him.

"This is Curt Wagner. He has fallen victim to 'M' and until he gains consciousness we have no way of knowing the exact extent of this disease. We still haven't even discovered the source either. We have no way of knowing how it's spreading, all we know is that Reese and Howard have some sort of link to it. They were both spotted at the scene of Curt Wagner's experience. Basically he collapsed in the middle of the street right outside Bayville's comic book store."

The comic book store, Rogue had been there just the day before. If she had just gone a day later she could have done something. She didn't know how, but she could have done something. "You're all excused. I want you to all work on leads." Rogue didn't move. She stayed beside Xavier, looking down at Curt.

"Are you feeling alright, Rogue?" he asked calmly, as if all the worry of the mission disappeared. Rogue didn't answer him. "I want you to really think about this mission Rogue. There is a reason you're an X-man and I want you to search for the answer. This may not make sense to you now, but it will." He wheeled himself out of the room, but Rogue stayed. She took one last look at Curt and then made her way outside. She sat down under the oak tree in the garden and took Xavier's advise. She began to think about everything, going through each step in her mind, and then something clicked. She understood everything and deep down she knew she was right. She opened her eyes and gasped.

"Sorry, startle you, did I?" Melissa Howard said. She was standing right in front of Rogue, her arms crossed, but there was something different. Rogue realized to her amazement that Melissa Howard actually looked _younger_ than she had on the screen in the professor's office. As in, she looked a good five, maybe seven years younger than before. "I see you figured it out then, sweetheart."

Somehow Rogue wasn't surprised that Melissa Howard had a southern accent. "I know where I've seen you from," Rogue said simply. Melissa smiled slyly, her flaxen hair shining in the late sunshine.

"Ready to go, M?"

_In the next chapter, we actually get into the story, so keep reading. KEEP IN MIND- my first fanfic, so be kind with the reviews._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Remy raced down the hall. He skidded along the marble floors, falling embarrassingly on his butt, got up and started to run again. He knew exactly who he should go to first. He burst into Classroom 7: Offence Practise. He ran straight up to Wolverine, slightly out of breath, but determined to get his sentence out.

"Rogue is missing!" he exclaimed. Wolverine didn't hesitate. He grabbed the Cajun's arm and dragged him all the way to the professor's office.

"What exactly happened, Remy?" Xavier asked him.

"Eh bien, j'étais dans le jardin et j'ai remarqué-"

"English, bub! English!" Wolverine roared. Remy scowled but carried on in English.

"I was walking in the garden looking for Rogue, I had seen her entering just a moment ago, and I couldn't find her. I looked all over the mansion, J'ai appelé Rogue un million de fois et je-"

"For God's sake you're doing it again!" Wolverine exclaimed, hitting himself in the forehead with his palm. Remy grumbled under his breath and Wolverine knew he was swearing in French.

"She's not here, bien?"

As Wolverine and Xavier summoned the others and began to discuss rescue plans, Remy was left to think.

The only reason he was in the mansion was because of Rogue. He slipped his hand into his pocket and clasped his hand around his queen of hearts card. He had given it to Rogue last year. He had found it in the garden when he was looking for her. It was under that big oak tree she always used to sit under or on or...whatever.

He _should _be with his father and cousins in New Orleans thieving, but he stayed in the mansion with Rogue instead. _Mon chere doesn't even know Je l'aime! _He thought to himself. His mind snapped back to the conversation at present. He hadn't even noticed Storm, Jean and Scott entering.

"How is Mister Wagner, Jean?" the professor asked her. She had been staring lovingly at Wolverine's hair, but she managed to focus on the professor long enough to reach into her folder and pull out a sheet.

"He uh..." she stopped staring at Wolverine and looked at the professor. She sat down and smoothed the creases out of her neat cream blouse and beige skirt. "Kurt is eh..." more staring at Wolverine, " he's coming along fine and..." little bat of the eyelashes as Wolverine turns his head towards her, " I had Scott run down to the comic book store and-"

"Did he get moi anything?" Remy asked cheekily, absentmindedly looking in Scott's direction. He was beginning to think that the Cyclops was turning into Jean's personal pack mule. Scott briefly scowled at the French thief, but after this moment of hatred had passed, went back to looking adoringly at Jean again.

"He found this." Jean held up a translucent plastic bag. Remy's heart stopped. It was a very noticeable shard of something that looked like red stained metal, Magneto's helmet.

"I'm going to kill him," Remy said angrily.

"Not if I get there first," Wolverine swore. Storm stayed silent, but a look of pure loathe and fury spread across the woman's face.

"So we have it then?" Scott said. "Magnet o kidnapped her. Or maybe even killed h-"

"Don't you _dare_ say _anything _like that!" Storm threatened. Storm clouds began to form outside the window.

Remy looked at Scott angrily, Wolverine looked at Scott angrily, Storm looked at Scott angrily, Jean looked at...well, Wolverine.

"At a time like this, the team needs some optimism," Xavier said softly.

"We need more than optimism! We need Rogue!" Remy screamed. "This has Magneto written all over it! I don't care about plans or instructions! We need to go down there and teach metal head a lesson!" Remy protested loudly.

"I'm with the idiot on this one," Wolverine stated. A look of confusion appeared on his face. "Never thought I'd hear you say _that_..." Storm trailed off.

"Let's just think..."

The young girl walked up the pathway of the mansion with her sister.

"Ok, I can't go any further."

"What! Please! I need you in there, Kayla!" the girl pleaded.

"I'm not a mutant, I can't," Kayla stated firmly to her younger sister. Tears began to well up in the young mutant's eyes.

"I need you... where will you go? You can't go home."

"I'll figure something out. Remember; neverlet mother or father know where you are." The younger sister looked down; she didn't want Kayla to see her cry.

"What about my dreams? What do I do about them? I don't even know what they mean yet..."

"I'm sorry, I don't know, Hun."

"Just stay the night, I'm sure they'll let you," the mutant pleaded. "You'll stay for a while until you turn eighteen! Then when you do we'll go away and live together like we planned! We-"

"You know I can't do that." She hugged her little sister goodbye and walked away, afraid to turn back. She knew in her heart that she would never see her baby sister again.

Her sister watched her walk over the horizon. She picked up her bag and pressed the speaker next to the thick bronze gates.

"Hello?" A lazy sounding boy answered back down the line. "Welcome to Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters." There was a pause. "Eh...it means mutants." There was a loud whacking noise from the speaker and another; older sounding boy began to speak.

"Do you have an appointment with the professor?"

"Eh, no."

"Hmm." There was another short pause, quickly followed by a: "So are you a mutant or what?"

"Pyro! Would you get away from that god damn speaker!

"You're such an old man Bobby!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Excuse me!" said the girl. "Can I just come inside?"

"Right! Yes, sorry...name?" asked the boy who sounded like Bobby.

"Pryde, Kitty Pryde."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Ok, we're just going to go in, get Stripes, and leave," Wolverine stated clearly as they all crept out of the X-jet. Remy nodded in agreement. The two of them were out front, followed by Storm, with Jean and Scott bringing up the rear. Magneto's fortress was huge and there was something terrifying about it. It was large and frightening and all Remy was thinking about was the amount of rooms that they could have Rogue in...

Storm quietly told Remy and Wolverine to go together and she would go with Queen Jean and Scott. Wolverine and Remy tried not to laugh while Jean and Scott glared at her.

As an angry Jean and Scott followed Storm around the front of the castle, Wolverine and Remy crept over to the back gate. Remy hovered his hand over the silver plate by the door. Slowly it began to crackle and fizz. Beads of perspiration slid down Gambit's forehead. _Careful, careful! _The plate exploded and Gambit pushed the gate open with ease. "Dieu merci," Remy whispered to himself as he followed Wolverine inside the institution. There was a surprising lack of guards.

"This isn't right..." Wolverine's claws protruded from his knuckles. He turned around and sliced the thin air, just missing a man's eyes. The man in the navy uniform had crept up out of nowhere and his buddies were quickly following. About twenty-one men ran out towards them from all directions. Remy gave himself some space from Wolverine. He faced half the crowd of men and waited.

Remy grinned at them. "Hmm...." he began to count out loud with his finger, pointing to each man in turn. "Alright, so 'dere is twelve of you, and one of little ol' me. That hardly seems fair... I'll tell you what; I'll fight you with one hand behind my back..."

The first man attacked, running straight for Remy. He was fast, but he had no plan. Remy outstretched his hand and rammed his fist right into his left eye. The man stumbled back and threw off the second attacker. Three more attacked after that, two of which went to Remy's left. Remy flipped around and took out one with the other. He then turned to face the other man. Determined to keep his promise, his right arm remained behind his back. He faced the man head on. Again, Magneto's minion advanced first. He ran towards Remy's right arm, so Remy shot out with his right leg. He tripped over the man, then caught him midway and used his body as a shield to the next man's attack. He dropped the man at his feet and carelessly stepped over him.

The remaining six men went straight for him, but they were silly and had no methods. They all came for him in the one direction and he charged their faces easily. All six men clutched their heads and fell to their knees.

Wolverine was faced with nine men, all a little older than Remy's lot. They all attacked at once. Wolverine did a double flip and jumped right over half the group. He turned and crashed down, driving his claws right into a man's arm. He lashed out low and took the feet from under three men. He was left with five men, but they were no threat to him compared to the others. Wolverine charged right through them and separated each of them. He easily knocked over the first man, sliding him along the floor knocking over the two others like bowling pins. He grabbed another man and threw him into the next man, knocking them both over onto the pile of men that he and Remy had created.

"Haven't you ever heard the saying: 'La meilleure attaque, c'est une bonne défense'?" There was a long moment of silence. Wolverine looked at him densely. Remy sighed. "'The best offence is a good defence.'"

"Oh," sighed Wolverine. "Speak in freakin' English, would 'ya?" Remy rolled his eyes and followed Wolverine through some more corridors. Then, all of a sudden, everything went black...

Kitty was amazed at how openly they gave her accommodation. She was trying to sleep but she couldn't. Honestly, she was afraid of her dreams. She had been having the strangest dreams ever since she was five-years-old. She peered at her alarm clock. 12:03. she clambered out of bed and put on a dressing gown. She snuck into the hallway and crept downstairs. No one seemed to notice her as she morphed through a wall and entered the kitchen. She looked around but didn't feel very hungry. She missed Kayla, but she tried not to think about her. She walked around for a little bit and wasn't surprised to find that she was lost. To be fair, it _was _a pretty big mansion. She found herself in the ward which she remembered Bobby mentioning when he showed her around. She walked through but saw no one. She morphed through another wall. She stood frozen to the spot when she saw the blue boy in the bed. She walked closer to him and looked at the neatly written chart on the end of his bed. _Kurt Wagner. _She wasn't surprised because he was blue, or because of how injured he was. She was surprised because she had seen this boy before. This boy was the reason she couldn't get to sleep.

Remy rubbed his head and slowly opened his eyes. He saw Storm, Jean, Scott and Wolverine slowly waking up across from him. They were all lying on a marble floor in the middle of what seemed to be a hall. It was lit with hazy purple lights so it was hard to see over six feet in front of yourself.

"Ah, the X-men... next time you drop in, would you mind using my front door?" Magneto flew down and appeared in front of them. At this point they had all regained consciousness and were on their feet. Magneto's three children stepped out from behind him. Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Lorna, who had yet to gain powers, all appeared out of the darkness. The Scarlet Witch, Wanda, and Quicksilver, Pietro, had been up against the X-men before, but none of them had ever met Lorna. She stood on the left of her father while the other two were on his right looking snidely at the X-men.

"Where's Rogue?" Wolverine asked through gritted teeth. Magneto smirked.

"Excuse me but I believe this is my home and I will not be interrogated in front of my children. Or, my guest of honours," Melissa Howard and Wilbur Reese stepped out and stood on either side of Lorna. "And of course, you wouldn't want to be rude in front of your friend..."

Remy's eye's clouded as Rogue stepped up and stood beside Magneto and, to the annoyance of Quicksilver and Wanda, in front of his two children. She was wearing a long black robe and her auburn hair tumbled down below her shoulders. "Rogue, would you like to say hello to your friends?"

Storm noticed the look on Melissa Howard's face. Was that...pride?

"Hello..." Rogue sounded so different; there was something about her voice that Remy couldn't place. Storm, Jean and Scott focused on Magneto, never once breaking eye contact, but Wolverine and Remy were looking at something completely different. They couldn't help notice that Rogue's ring started to glow at every word she said. She said more, but neither of them heard. Every single word: _sparkle. _They looked up and caught Melissa's eye. A noticeable flash of fear appeared in Melissa's eyes. She stepped forward and clasped her hand around Rogue. Together they stepped back into the shadows and disappeared.

"Rogue!" Remy shouted, and ran forward. Wolverine grabbed him and held him back. Magneto shook his head and smiled.

"Control your friend, Wolverine," Magneto told him quietly, and with that, he stepped back into the shadows. It took a moment before the gas was exposed to the X-men, and as Remy collapsed onto the floor, only one word sprung to mind.

_Rogue..._


	5. Chapter 5

**LISTEN UP! COMPETITION TIME!:**

**I'm looking for a character to introduce in an X-men fic I'm writing after I've finished the one I'm writing now. **

**I want *YOU* to come up with a character.**

**They can be good, evil, boy girl, adult, child or teenager. It's totally up to you.**

**I'm giving this to my 50th reviewer on my current fic: 'Tomorrow Never Comes.'**

**GOOD LUCK!**

Chapter 5

The X-men woke up just outside the gates of the mansion. They all sat for a while, steadying themselves and trying to make sense of everything. All, that is, except Remy. He ran right to the professor's study without knocking. He told the professor what he had seen.

"Hmm, that's a very interesting theory, Gambit." Wolverine appeared behind them, followed quickly by Storm, Scott and Jean. "I suppose it is possible for Rogue's life-span to have been transported into an object."

"The ring," Wolverine breathed. "Are you saying that the real Rogue is in that ring?"

"Either that, or the anti-Rogue is in that ring, controlling every molecule of her being."

"So what can we do about it?" asked Storm.

"I'm not sure," the professor confessed. "But don't worry; we're going to get Rogue back." He shook his head. "This is all wrong..."

_Buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz. _Kitty walked right past the control room, then backed up and walked inside. She knew this was not her place as she was only new at the mansion and, honestly, her head wasn't just right yet, but the buzzing was so incessant it seemed urgent.

"Eh, hello?" she asked.

"Hello, my name is... I'm sorry, but who am I speaking to?"

"Eh, Kitty Pryde." The woman sounded about twenty at the most.

"Well hello Miss Pryde, my name is Jenna Jones. I understand that this is Xavier's school for mutants, is that right?"

"Eh, yes."

"OK, and may I ask, is it possible for you to start a sentence without 'eh'?"

"Eh...apparently not."

"Alright then, may I come in?"

"Eh, I don't know. I'm sort of new..."

"Don't worry, you can trust me. I believe I have an appointment." Kitty looked in the little notepad in front of her and saw the name 'Jenna Jones' sprawled in Pyro's writing.

"Well, OK."

"See, you can start a sentence without 'eh'."

Kitty smiled and buzzed the young woman in. She then stepped away from the controls and continued down the hall. What Kitty didn't know was that Melissa Howard was smiling to herself as well as she walked down the driveway towards the inviting open gates of Charles Xavier's school. Who would have thought that getting into the mansion would have been so easy?

She dropped to her knees and clutched her stomach. She steadied herself and got up. She was running out of time, she had to hurry. She hurried up the driveway as she felt her age drop. She glanced at the wristwatch on her arm. Nineteen, her age was dropping fast and before she knew it she would be a toddler and no use at all.

"How do we get her back?" Wolverine asked. Everyone was deep in thought but it was hard. On top of trying to think of something, they were all scared out of their minds for Rogue. "I don't know..." Storm buried her head in her hands. This was the closest Wolverine had ever seen her to giving up, but he knew that she was thinking.

"You need her ring," said Melissa from the doorway. They all jumped up, completely unprepared to see Melissa in the room...and in her teens.

"The ring is the source of her power. It was enchanted the day she was given it...by me."

"What are you talking about? Rogue's mother gave her that ring," Remy insisted.

"And who gave her mother the ring?" Melissa asked them in a singsong voice.

"Rogue's grandmother," Logan told her. It took them a while but the look on Melissa's face told them everything."

"You're Rogue's grandmother," Storm said disbelievingly. Melissa hung her head in shame.

"I was dying of old age. I was almost ninety-seven and I knew it was the end. But I realized that I hadn't done anything that I had wanted to do. I hadn't done nearly enough, and then I met Magneto. He promised me everything. He said I would get to travel, have power, anything I wanted. No catch. He said that I could get all of it if I just came to work for him. I knew it was wrong, but I agreed. He gave me this bracelet," she held up her wrist. There was a silver bracelet with a number carved in it: nineteen. "That's my age now. I began to age backwards from ninety-seven. As soon as I realized what was happening to me, naturally I tried to take the bracelet off, but he had welded it onto my skin. It's made of pure metal. At the time, I didn't know that Magneto was a mutant. He said that if I did this one mission, he would take the bracelet off and I would begin to age again."

"And this mission was?" Melissa looked even more ashamed of herself as she continued to explain.

"A few months ago, Magneto infected Rogue with a disease which everyone has come to know as 'M'. The name 'M' came from rogue's real name. 'M' comes from Marie which is what I always used to call her. He injected her with 'M' discreetly. It means that wherever Rogue goes, someone else with be infected by it. As you already know, 'M' can kill someone within twenty four hours of the infection as that's how long it takes for 'M' to spread through your whole body."

"Then why hasn't Rogue died?" Scott asked.

"Rogue hasn't died as the disease sees Rogue as its host."

"What do you mean, 'the disease thinks'?" asked Remy. Melissa looked at him.

"Didn't you get the message? M will kill when attacked. M will harm when harmed. M is deadly, but has life. M has life, but is death. I was hoping you'd have figured it out. Magneto doesn't know I sent it. It means that 'M' is alive, a living thing. Magneto grew it himself in his garden. It has so many ingredients I can't remember them all."

"So how do we stop...'M'?" Wolverine asked.

"Like I said, we need the ring." She looked over at Xavier. "I'm sorry." He nodded at her.

"It's alright Melissa, you took a while, but I knew there was still good in you."

"Wait, do you know each other?" Jean asked. "Did you used to teach her?"

"No no, we were in the same class." He turned to Melissa. "Help us to get the ring, and I'm sure I could find a way to get that bracelet off."

She smiled, but it didn't last long. "Do you understand the risk that we-"

"Yes Melissa, I understand." Then Melissa snapped her fingers.

"There's a girl here, Kitty Pryde."

"Yes, what about her."

"We'll need her too." Xavier hesitated.

"I don't know, she is-"

"New, yes I know, but we'll need her."

_A little confusing, I know but trust me keep reading (AND REVIEWING!)._

_Feel free to be brutal with comments and reviews. _


	6. Chapter 6

**LISTEN UP! COMPETITION TIME!**

**I'm looking for a character to introduce in an X-men fic I'm writing and**

**I want *YOU* to come up with a character.**

**They can be good, evil, boy girl, adult, child or teenager. It's totally up to you.**

**I'm giving this to my 50th reviewer on my current fic: 'Tomorrow Never Comes.'**

**GOOD LUCK!**

Chapter 6

Kitty walked down the clean white corridor. Her black X-men suit seemed to stick to her as she took each step. She didn't think she could be so nervous. Whenever she got scared or worried, Kayla would say: "Don't be silly; what is there to possibly be scared of?" But when Kitty realized she was a mutant, everything changed, and Kitty would give anything to hear Kayla say that again. Kitty took a moment to think about where Kayla could be. She had sacrificed everything to get Kitty to this school. Her home, her parents, her friends... what sort of sister would Kitty be if she died on her first ever mission? She took a vow that whatever it took; she would succeed in this mission.

She couldn't help wondering why the professor had asked her to come along. It hadn't even been a week since she first arrived. She turned a corner and was faced with a blonde woman and eight of the X-men: Wolverine, Remy, Storm, Jean, Scott, Bobby, Pyro and Colossus.

"Welcome Kitty," said Wolverine. He frowned. "Pyro, would you stop trying to set Bobby on fire!"

"Oh please, he's not getting anywhere," said Bobby as Pyro's flames skidded harmlessly off Bobby's skin.

"_Anyway_," Wolverine carried on. "We get in, get Rogue, and get out."

"You said that last time," Remy grumbled. Wolverine ignored this with a slight blush and a turn of the head. Storm took over. She touched Remy's shoulder.

"It will work this time," she assured him. Part of Remy wanted to believe her. They boarded the X-Jet without another word. They were up in the air when someone next spoke.

"When we get there," said Melissa, "We can't split up. You have no idea how big this place is." She glanced at Kitty. "Take a left." Storm steered in the direction she said and flew straight on. Melissa insisted she knew where Magneto was planning to use Rogue.

"What exactly is he going to use Rogue for?" Storm asked. Wolverine scowled. They were all avoiding that question.

"Magneto wants to wipe out all humans. His aim is that in ten years, the world will _only _have mutants, he didn't mean for that one boy to be infected. The mutant, what was his name?"

"Kurt Wagner," said Kitty. No one had heard her speak since she arrived.

"Yeah," Melissa mumbled, "That was it..." As the mist cleared, a dilapidated castle came into sight. One of the walls had completely collapsed but it still towered over the X-Jet in its archaic glory.

"Where are we?" asked Storm, which naturally isn't a very good thing to hear from the person behind the wheel, but none had ever seen anywhere like this. That is, all except one. Kitty went pale. All of a sudden, she knew why she had been picked to come on the mission. She shook her head in disbelief.

"This is cruel!" she said. "I can't believe this!" She struggled with unbuckling her seat belt, but Melissa put her hand over and stopped her.

"Kitty, you need this." Kitty stared at her, and then slowly put her seatbelt back on.

"Ok..." she stared at the castle.

"So where are we?" Remy asked.

"Ireland," Kitty and Melissa answered in unison.

"Keep this line!" Wolverine ordered, as the ten of them walked head on towards the castle. It looked completely empty from the outside, but none of them could have predicted what was inside.

"Remember; get that ring off her finger. It will take ten seconds for 'M' to extract itself from her DNA. If she opens her eyes she'll be fine, if she doesn't..." Storm swung the door open without using her hands. Inside were at least one hundred men and women. Every single one turned their attention to the X-men. On a small platform behind them all, Magneto stood with Wilbur Reese, his two children and Rogue, staring down at the X-men. Rogue looked terrible.

She was still wearing the black robe, but now she was much paler and her eyes were red and bloodshot. Her long auburn hair had been cut short and hung messily by her cheeks. If it weren't for her white stripe none of them would have recognised her. Then the fighting began.

They all charged at different areas of the room. Wolverine, Storm and Colossus charged. Colossus picked up three at once and smashed them into the ground. Storm flipped one onto his back and threw him straight at Wolverine. Wolverine leaped into the air and crashed down on the man, burying half of him into the ground. Rogue, Magneto, Reese and Magneto's children all stood on the platform looking down on the fight. Even though Rogue remained untouched in the battle, she appeared to be in more physical and emotional pain than any of them.

Melissa and Kitty reluctantly began to work as a team with Scott and Jean. The three of them watched each other's backs and moved as a group. Jean and Scott took North and West, Kitty and Melissa took South and West. They punched and kicked until they were out of breath. It was harder for Kitty but as she followed Melissa's blocks and jabs she picked up fine. Melissa only handed her off the easy looking mutants. She was grateful for that, but it didn't make up for Melissa to bring her here. How did she even know Kitty was born here? How did she know this was where her beautiful mother had remarried? If she knew this, did she know about how Gary used to...

Pyro and Bobby also chose to work as a team. Pyro pushed a torrent of flames towards his half as Bobby turned his half into giant ice-cubes.

Wolverine spotted a door to the left of the fight. They were down to their last twenty mutants but they were big guys. They had made a vital mistake by going for the less dangerous mutants first. Why had they done that? Wolverine ran straight for the door and swung it wide open. "In! In! In!"

Storm, Jean, Scott and Colossus ran in. Wolverine held the door open for Remy, Pyro and Bobby who was quickly followed by Melissa, dragging Kitty in behind her. It was just a large room with appeared to be made out of stone. They all stood bent over and panting.

"Okay, so listen," began Melissa, "I want... I'm sorry. I don't actually know _your_ names." She gestured towards Bobby and Pyro. Bobby beamed.

"Call me Ice-Man," said Bobby. Pyro stared at him and chuckled.

"_Sure_, and call me Fire-Dude!" Bobby sighed.

"That _is _my X-men name!" Bobby insisted.

"Yeah well it's stupid. Now 'Pyro', _that _is a cool X-men name."

"I don't get why you don't just shut your god damn-"

"Yeah yeah I really don't care. Look, we need to get that ring off her finger. If she opens her eyes after we get it off, she'll be fine. If she doesn't..."

"Fine," Remy stated and swung the door open.

"Gambit, don't!" Pyro yelled. They all raced after him. Remy charged straight at Magneto. They all followed his lead. Remy changed his mind last minute and charged at Rogue. He grabbed her hand and dragged her into the big stone room. The last thing he saw was The X-men charging at Reese, Magneto and his children. When he turned back to Rogue, she punched his collar-bone and quickly shot out her foot at his shin. He grabbed her wrist and pulled off her ring. She collapsed to the floor. She flew down and cushioned her fall with his arms. As he held her he could hear the fighting and yells from outside. He stared at Rogue and prayed that she would be okay. _Come on, come on!_

Rogue's eyes didn't open.


	7. Chapter 7

**COMPETITION TIME!**

**I'm looking for a character to introduce in an X-men fic I'm writing and**

**I want *YOU* to come up with a character.**

**They can be good, evil, boy girl, adult, child or teenager. It's totally up to you.**

**I'm giving this to my 50th reviewer on my current fic: 'Tomorrow Never Comes.'**

**GOOD LUCK!**

A/N: Please review! This is my first fanfic and I really want to know if it's worth continuing. And sorry, but I can't do accents. I probably should have mentioned that a little earlier...

Chapter 7

Suddenly, Remy's brain seemed to malfunction. What his life would have been like without Rogue flashed before his eyes. Why had he never told her he loved her? It all seemed so stupid now. There was a bash at the door. It wasn't long before the wooden door began to crack and Magneto charged into the room with Reese and his children, one of whom seemed to have Melissa in a complicated headlock.

"Why do they even _bother _sending people to try and stop me?" Magneto pondered aloud to himself. "However, I'm sure you could make it up to me somehow..." Magneto simply snapped his fingers, there was a blur of silver and suddenly Pietro was standing right in front of him. His stretched out his hand and clasped it around Remy's throat.

"Si jeune, si nieve," Remy stated with a slight chuckle, despite the hand wrapped around his throat. Remy lashed out with both his hands, one punching the boy in the gut and the other scratching at the hand on his neck. Quick silver doubled over and crumpled to the floor. Magneto sent his daughter, Wanda, on Remy. _Where were the other X-men? _Remy wondered to himself.

"Je ne peux pas frapper une fille!" Remy said. Wanda frowned and lowered her fist.

"What?" she asked.

Remy sighed. "Does _no one _know French?" he asked himself silently. "I said: I cannot hit a girly!" he repeated. Wanda flew forward and landed a punch on Remy's jaw.

"Oh please, you're closer to a girl than _I _am!" Wanda insisted, and went in for another attack, but she was nowhere near as fast as her brother. Remy outstretched his hand and pushed her back. She fell over her own two feet and fell rather clumsily to the floor. A bump formed on her forehead. Lorna began to charge, but Magneto stopped her.

"You are too young, child."

"No I'm not!" she insisted. Magneto gave her a look that Remy didn't understand, but Lorna retreated sulkily out the door.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOW!" she screeched from outside. Magneto frowned. "Lorna? What the- let her go!" Magneto yelled as he stormed out of the small room. With identical angry glares, Wanda and Quicksilver followed their father quickly out of the room. Pietro's angry look remained as he saw what had happened outside the door, and he even had a slight look of annoyance on his face. However Wanda's face noticeably softened.

"No," she whispered gently. Remy made his way quickly to the doorway, making sure he could still see Rogue out of the corner of his eye. Storm, Melissa, Pyro and Jean were holding Lorna back, while Wolverine, Bobby, Scott, Kitty and Colossus stood facing Magneto, Reese, Pietro and a shaky Wanda. "Let her go!" Wanda said, although her voice came out a little weaker than she had intended.

"We'll only give you Lorna if you give us Rogue and Remy!" Wolverine demanded.

"Remy?" Gambit exclaimed aloud.

"Oh!" Wolverine cried. "Sorry, I meant Rogue." Remy scowled at him as Wolverine laughed. Remy looked over to Storm and saw that her eyes were doing this weird hoppy thing. They skipped from the door and back to Remy again. Remy jumped at his own stupidity and ran back into the room. He picked up Rogue as gently as he could and carried her swiftly out. He went through the door, past the pile of mutants and out of the castle. He placed Rogue lightly in a seat of the X-jet and buckled her seat belt. As he walked down the stairs of the jet, he heard a loud gunshot. Remy ran back to the entrance. He saw Wanda cradling Lorna who had a look of shock on her face. Pietro was holding and gun and the barrel was pointed straight at Melissa. She fell to the floor. Wolverine scooped her up and ran. Everyone followed. Melissa's face paled.

"Run! Now!" Wolverine shouted. Pyro stood facing Lorna with a ball of fire in his hand. Wanda looked up with pleading eyes.

"Please..." Pyro extinguished the flame and followed Wolverine and the others. He looked at Remy.

"What?" he asked grumpily, and boarded the X-jet.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Will she be alright?" Storm asked.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell. You're just lucky that there's still hope."

"Hope?" Wolverine echoed. He was sitting next the bed Rogue's body was lying. The professor, Wolverine, Remy, Storm and Jean were all in the infirmary. Rogue was lying over the covers, somehow managing to look peaceful and at war all at the same time. Gambit kept imagining her eyelids fluttering open and her smile but it didn't come. He missed her laugh, her voice.

"How is she?" Melissa came walking in. The cast on her arm had been put on the second they got back. She was still a little shaken by being shot, and by Magneto's son of all people. She looked less pale, but was tired and unsteady on her feet. Xavier looked at her and said nothing for a while. He then said; "She's Rogue, she's strong." Melissa nodded as if that's what she expected to hear. It didn't look good.

"We've done everything we can; we'll pick it up tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Gambit spoke up. He had been quiet since now, but there was anger his eyes, black as coal and red as the deepest blood. He rose up out of the chair. "Bien sûr, for _us _there's a tomorrow. Just another day we can come down and treat her like all the other patients that come through these doors, but Rogue isn't just _any _patient! Rogue has saved all of our lives at least once, but when it comes to helping her we're just going to pack up and leave and then come down tomorrow after we've had a nice nap! Well what if there _is _no tomorrow! What if we come down and she's...she's..." Remy trailed off.

"Mr. LeBeau, we know for a fact that Magneto and Reese will come after Rouge, and when that comes, we need to be ready. We need our rest." Xavier's voice didn't waver, he remained calm and steady.

"Alright," Remy said finally, "But I sleep _here_." He motioned towards the chair and sat down. "I don't leave her."

"You promise you'll sleep?" Xavier asked.

"Cross my heart, hope to die."

Xavier nodded. "Very well," he led the rest of the X-men out of the room and they followed reluctantly, glancing wearily at Rogue and Gambit. Melissa paused in the doorway and Remy couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. Would Rogue be _angry _if she knew Melissa was her grandmother? He couldn't think why. Melissa left. Remy curled up in the chair and stared at Rogue, _his_ Rogue. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep.

Kitty Pryde passed Melissa in the hallway. "Is your arm alright?" she asked slowly and awkwardly. Melissa nodded.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, bringing you to the castle I mean. I just thought that-"

"It's ok," Kitty assured. Melissa frowned, but there was concern all over her face.

"No one should be that ashamed of their past, Kitty. You have a gift and so did your father."

"He is _not _my father!" Kitty yelled. Melissa nodded, hurt. Kitty sighed. "How did you know that's where he tried to kill me and Kayla?"

"It was all over the news. I recognised you from the pictures they showed of you. The pictures were of you when you were eight, and I understand you died your hair brown to try and get away from him, but I have a thing with faces. It was part of my training." She looked Kitty in the eye. A tear slid gracefully from Kitty's sparkling eye like a little diamond. "I don't know why, but your story struck me hard. I... I don't know." Kitty stared at Melissa and almost smiled, but suddenly she frowned and her whole body tightened. Kitty wiped away the tear, anger suddenly enveloping her.

"That's your power; you're using your mind-power on me!" Kitty said, outraged. Melissa sagged.

"Please trust me."

"Why?" Melissa stared and stared.

"I knew your father. He was one of my patients when I was a psychiatrist. He was a _deeply _troubled man when he tried to kill you." Melissa stepped forward and put her hands on Kitty's shoulders. Kitty softened. "I never knew my father. He walked out when I was still in my mother's stomach and I hated him my whole life. I just wanted to help." Kitty thought for a moment.

"Do you know why... well, do I have a connection to the blue boy in the infirmary?" Kitty asked. Melissa looked deep into Kitty's eyes. She nodded and began to open her mouth, but they were interrupted by a siren. Melissa looked around her.

"We're under attack! It's Reese! Get everyone outside _now_!" Kitty slid through the wall and searched the mansion frantically for the X-men. She found Wolverine talking to Bobby and Colossus, trying to calm their panicked faces. She told them to get outside and they nodded. She went in search of the others.


	9. Chapter 9

**The winner of my 50****th**** reviewer contest was **_**Roisin_AstonJLS! **_**The character she created will appear in 'Lets Love Death Away', my other fanfiction story.**

**Chapter 9**

Remy jumped up off his chair. He was momentarily disorientated by the blaring alarm, but his mind arranged himself as his eyes adjusted to the scene. For a moment, he was tempted to run and see what was going on, but then he looked down at the –possibly eternal- sleeping Rogue. It dawned on him that he was being dishonourable. He had vowed to stand by Rogue and that was what he was going to do. The door burst open and Gambit prepared himself to fight, but Kitty barged in. She stopped and held up her hands. "It's only me!" she said, eyeing Remy's hands which had formed into fists. "We're under attack, I passed through a wall into the hall and I found a guard. He didn't see me, but I noticed his badge. He's with Magneto and Reese."

"Bien, you must go help everyone," Remy instructed. Kitty nodded but paused.

"Aren't... Aren't you coming?" she asked him, examining the look on his face.

"No," he said. "I'm staying with Rogue." For a moment Kitty was touched. She walked a little closer to him.

"You love her, don't you?" He didn't say anything. He looked up into Kitty's eyes. For a moment she wanted to leave him with her, he obviously wanted to be left with her, but then reality dawned on her. "We need all the help we can get," she stated firmly. She looked down at Rogue. She seemed so defenceless, so weak.

Suddenly, there was a loud banging. Kitty turned to the door.

"Give us M!" said a voice from the other side. "She belongs to me now, your friend is gone!" Remy frowned.

"Keep them on the other side of that door!" he ordered. Before she could stop him, Kitty watched as Remy picked up Rogue and carried her in his arms away from the bed.

"What are you doing!" Kitty asked quietly but rushed, hoping that the people on the other side of the door couldn't hear her. She heard them bang up against the door. From what she could tell, there were only two of them trying to get in. The other X-men must be occupying the others. Kitty was thankful, but she didn't know how long her luck would last.

"I need to keep her safe!" Remy said, "I said I would and I am a man of my word." Remy was about to leave when he turned to her, thinking hard. "Well, _most_ of the time I'm a man of my word." He turned again, paused and then turned back to her. "Ok, _occasionally_ I don't keep my word and I do some darn good double crosses, but-"

"Just get Rogue out of here, alright," Kitty said. Remy nodded and ran to the door. It was slightly ajar so Remy just kicked it lightly and it swung gently open. He closed it on the other side and ran, carrying Rogue all the way.

Wolverine, Storm and Cyclops stood against the wall. The alarm had been turned off, so an eerie silence had immediately spread through-out the mansion. Tension was in the air and all three of them held their breath as slow and heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. The footsteps stopped. Wolverine, Cyclops and Storm looked quizzically at each other. Wolverine peered around the corner and yelled aloud and a man leaped onto him. He tackled Wolverine to the floor and punched him in the jaw. Storm swooped in and choked him. The man flailed out and kit Storm in the leg surprisingly hard. She went down but Cyclops kicked the man. The man's leg flew out and tripped up Scott. Scott stumbled but didn't fall. At the last second, Scott removed his sunglasses and fired at the man's ankle. As the man was distracted with his bleeding ankle, Wolverine punched his opponent and the man's head jerked back. As he momentarily weakened, Wolverine saw his opportunity and pushed the man back onto his hunkers. The man pushed Wolverine back at the last moment but realized that they weren't alone too late. Cyclops and Storm tackled him from behind. Cyclops held him in a headlock until the man passed out. He collapsed to the floor.

"One down," Storm muttered, "One hundred to go."


	10. Chapter 10

**A.N: It's a bit short, but it's an important one. Keep reading and make sure to review and tell me what you think!**

**Chapter 10**

Remy pulled Rogue into a corner of the room. It appeared to be some sort of study. There was a bookshelf full of books- some dusty, some well read. There was a large oak desk with a black wheelie-chair behind it. Endless stacks of paper work covered the desk. There was a red plush chair in the corner. Remy placed Rogue carefully in the seat.

"Please, please, please wake up!" he urged. She didn't stir. He buried his head in the armrest of the chair. He looked up as he heard the door of the ward being broken down. He jumped up and pushed the bookcase against the door of the room they were in. As he pushed, a torrent of books fell on his head but he didn't care. He looked around in a hasty panic. He dragged the desk to the door as well as the bookcase. That was basically everything in the room that would stall them. There was no other way out. He went to Rogue and knelt at her side.

"I love you, chere," he admitted. "I've finally said it out loud and you can't even hear me." Remy reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, the queen of hearts. "I found this on your bed-stand. I didn't mean to take it, I just thought it would help you remember, maybe you'd wake up." He pushed the card into her hand. "Oh God, please wake up..."

The door trembled as the two men on the other side struggled to break it down. What had happened to Kitty?

"Give us M!" one of them screamed. Remy recognised the voice as Magneto.

"Her name's Rogue!" Remy shouted. There was more banging and shouting. Remy didn't recognise the other man's voice but he knew who it was. Reese.

"She's dangerous!" Reese shouted. Remy heard Magneto hit Reese.

"She's practically a vegetable at this stage!" he scolded. "Mr. LeBeau, if you don't hand her over to us she'll be like that forever-"

"No she won't!" Remy insisted loudly. He turned back to Rogue. He stared at her. He took her hand in his. He realized how cold she was. He rubbed their hands together in an effort to warm her up but it didn't work. Remy got up and secured the bookcase against the door. It was budging at a worrying pace.

"It's hopeless, LeBeau. Your team has surrendered!" Remy knew he was lying, if the X-men _had _surrendered- which they never would- then more than two people would be trying to break down the door. Remy heard a scream; Kitty. "I'm sorry, Mr. LeBeau, but if you don't give us M then we'll be forced to hurt your friend."

"Don't listen to them! Don't give them Ro-"

"Shut-up you insolent girl!" Remy flinched as he heard Magneto slap Kitty across the face. Kitty didn't make a noise.

"Don't, Remy," her voice was so low it was almost a whisper, but Remy heard. Remy flew back as the door burst open and Magneto and Reese stood there, Kitty- with a red mark on her cheek from the slap- being held gruffly by Reese.

"She can't fight, LeBeau!" Magneto said smoothly.

"The hell I can't!" Rogue said angrily. Remy turned his head but was too slow. Rogue ran across the room and jumped at Magneto. His eyes widened in surprise, his shock lasting long enough for Rogue's bare hand to brush against his face. He crumpled to the floor, but it wouldn't last long. Reese had already escaped by the time they looked up. Rogue looked at Kitty questioningly.

"I'm Kitty," she said weakly. Rogue smiled.

"I'm Rogue. Power?"

"I can walk through walls," Kitty said, smiling herself now. Rogue nodded, taking it in. She slipped her glove back on, Remy hadn't even noticed her wake up let alone take her glove off.

"Tell everyone I'm back," she said. Kitty nodded and ran. Rogue nodded in admiration as she saw Kitty run straight through the wall. Rogue turned to a stunned Remy. Rogue laughed at his face. "You didn't think I'd leave you to fight alone, now that you're in love with me and all," she smiled. Remy blushed. 

"You...you heard?" he stuttered. She winked at him, smiled cheekily, and walked out the door. Remy followed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Kitty crept down the hall. She needed to find the X-men but she needed to do it quietly. She morphed through the wall. _Ugh. _That still felt tainted, still reminded her of dad.

"Doesn't feel right, does it?" Kitty whipped herself around only to hear the crunch of a fist colliding with her jaw. She tried to find her balance but failed and tumbled back. She reached up to her nose and pulled her hand back, now covered with blood. Reese stood in front of her. She brought her arms up to protect her, the way she had seem Kayla do in front of their dad when he was drunk.

"I can take you home, Kitty," he said. Kitty tensed. "You're not made for this life," he motioned to her bloody nose and red cheek. "I'll take you back; you can have your dad back." He paused, "But, I'm afraid, Kayla won't be coming home." Kitty froze.

Her face turned pale and her body went rigid. She couldn't feel her own body, couldn't hear her thoughts.

"What have you done with her?" Kitty surprised herself with the coldness in her voice. Reese smiled.

"It wouldn't have happened if you had just stayed at home. If I remember correctly, she wanted to stay, but she ran for you, to make sure _you _were safe. To make sure _you _were happy. See the pattern?"

"What-did-you-do?" she repeated.

"I strangled her." He held up his hands. "I can still feel her skin beneath my hands, I strangled my eldest niece and it felt so _good._"

"Niece?" she stammered. Reese nodded.

"My brother- your dad- asked me to return you to him. Why, you may ask? Not because he wants his darling daughter back, oh no, but now that he knows you're a mutant, he can make excellent money for you. He just wishes you told him sooner, but of course, you didn't, and all because you have the same power as him.

Before she died, Kayla begged for mercy. She begged me to spare her life. She told me that when you found out you cried to her and she comforted you, but the truth was, she was scared of you. It's horrible isn't it? That she would sell you out during her last moments. Why don't you just go home, and we can all-"

"You're lying." Reese paused, and for a moment his smile faltered.

"Alright, you got me." He sighed. "Oh, well. I'm sure my old brother won't mind if I hurt you just a little before I return you..."

He reached his hands out. Kitty didn't even try to protect herself as his coarse hands wrapped themselves around her neck. She closed her eyes as her air was cut off.

Suddenly his hands went limp and she didn't feel him anymore. She opened her eyes to see him lying on the floor, unconscious. She looked up to see the blue boy standing above him, a black frying pan in his hand.

"I'm sorry... I... I just... he was a bad guy, right?" he said. She smiled, jumped over the body, wrapped her arms around the boy's neck and kissed his cheek.

**I know it's short, but the final battle's coming. Keep reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

She felt so weak. Melissa stumbled down the hallway. She needed to get to Rogue, her Rogue.

"M, come back here." She recognised his voice but her mind was such a blur she didn't even register who it was. "You are weak, I can help you!"

"How?" she asked. She turned around and backed up against the wall. Magneto and over fifty men stood infornt of her.

"It's quite easy, actually," Magneto told her. She glanced at her wristband. Fourteen years old. "I can restore you to any age you want, and get this, you can _stay _there." Melissa met his eyes.

"Are you saying I could be young forever?"

"If you wish." Melissa thought about it, but it didn't take much time.

"No," she said simply. If Magneto was surprised, he didn't show it.

"Every time, you do this." She was definitely puzzled now.

"Every time? You've only ever reversed my age once!" Magneto shook his head. "No, Melissa, I've given it to you twice before."

"You're a liar."

"You know it's true. Every time, I have to take away your memories. The only reason you wanted it was for a new life. How was I supposed to give you a new life if you held onto your old one so badly?"

"I don't beleive you."

"Yes you do. Think about it, what do you remember?"

"Nothing," she replied automatically. She was close to tears, she didn't know why, but she could feel them coming. "Show me."

"Sorry?"

"Show me my memories. You can do that, you took them away. Give them back now."

"Alright, but it will take a lot of strength, and you, my dear, are not at your strongest."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine," she hissed. "Do whatever you want, just give me my life back."

"Which one?"

"Don't get smart."

He shrugged and stepped forward. He took her face in his hands. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Her eyelids fluttered closed. She felt something, a small thing, like a dream she couldn't remember. Then it stopped. Her eyes flew open.

"What happened?" she asked angrily. She saw what had happened immediatly. Wolverine and storm were behind him. Rogue, Remy, Kitty and Blue-Boy were there too. Wolverine's claw was stuck right through his chest. He paled and shook. "_No_!" she screamed hysterically before she could stop herself. She looked at her wristband. Eleven years old.

"Melie?" Rogue asked tentatively. Melissa turned to Rogue. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"You're awake!" she cried. She ran to her and hugged her. She then realized that Rogue was much taller than her. _Oh right, _she remembered, _I'm ten_. "I'm so happy to see you!" she sobbed.

"You don't look happy," Rogue laughed, wiping away Melissa's tear. Melissa explained quickly what Magneto had told her.

"I need to see those memories!" she pleaded.

"But...but.." Rouge began, but she was cut off by Wolverine.

"Let her see her memories, Rogue," he said. Melissa didn't understand why _he _got it and her grand daughter didn't, but she was thankful he was there to let her. She approached Magneto who was now lying on the floor. His men had all retreated, so it was just them and him.

"Can you still...?" she asked him quickly. He nodded.

"Come here," he said quietly. Agian, he put his hands on her face and closed his eyes. This time, she kept her eyes wide open, just in case.

They all came back in a rush. She was a nurse, and surrounded by soldiers, she went to Magneto. She was attending an old fashioned looking dance, she went to Mganeto. She was in school with a young handsome boy: her boyfriend. She was in the hospital having a baby. She was in the hospital with her daughter having a baby. She went to Magneto. She was with Reese. She was with Kitty's father. Reese had a gun. She saw Magneto...

She fell back just as the memories stopped, Magneto's eyes closed. Everything was quiet. She looked at her wristband. Seven years old.

"Melissa!"

"Rogue! Don't touch her!" Storm said from somewhere. Everything sounded so far away.

"Look! There's something wrong!" Melissa thought it sounded like Rogue was running away, but before she knew it she was in Rogue's arms.

Nine years old.

"Why is she getting younger so quickly? Melissa, are you ok? Melie?"Rogue was talking frantically. Melissa wanted her to slow down, she knew what was happening and she wanted to make it last.

"Honey, it's ok. Everything's..." her voice was barely above a whisper, but Rogue leaned down and listened.

"Don't talk, it's alright. What's happening?" Rogue asked. Melissa didn't have the strength to open her eyes, but she knew Rogue was crying.

"I've learnt everything I wanted to know, now that I know everything, this process speeds up until I'm-"

"How do we stop it?" Rogue asked desperately.

"We can't, sweetheart..."

Seven years old.

She didn't know how she knew how old she had become, it was like the dial of the wristband was stuck to the inside of her eyelids, every second ticking by painfully quickly. "All I want is to be here."

She felt Rogue nod. Slowly everyone else left, and Melissa got younger and younger. But Rogue didn't leave. She stayed there and rocked Melissa until she faded away into nothing but a memory.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ok, so final chapter here, it's been a LONG while but here it is. Hope you enjoy and reviews are GREATLY appreciated.**

**Chapter 13**

"So where's Magneto?" Remy asked Wolverine.

"I don't know, it's been two weeks since we've heard anything from him. I knew I hadn't killed him, but I had at least hoped he was wounded." Everyone immediatley fell silent when Rogue entered. She walked over and sat next to her boyfriend, who automatically took her hand. He noticed she was wearing the ruby ring, but said nothing.

"You guys can talk, it's not like she never existed," Rogue said. She sounded tired.

"We know, it's just that it's a delicate subject, that's all," Kitty told her. Rogue liked Kitty. She didn't know why, she was a bit thick, but she liked her. Kurt and Kitty were sitting on the windowsill, fingers laced together. Kurt looked clean and casual, probably Kitty's doing. Storm sat at Xaviors table, oblivious to the loving looks Wolverine was giving her, much like he was oblivious to Jean's. Scott stood in the doorway, arms croosed. Clearly he noticed Jean's looks.

After some pointless chatter, they were all excused from Xavior's office. Remy offered to take her back to her dorm, but she went for a walk instead. She was just walking out the back door when Storm appeared behind her.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Rogue replied. She never knew a name to Storm's looks. The one she was giving her now seemed like... not pity, that was for children, and Storm had always treated her like an adult. Unlike _some_(Jean Grey)_body_.

"Rogue, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Rogue sighed. "It's just, I know I didn't really know her all too well, but I sort of..."

"Miss her? Rogue, of course you miss her! "

"It's not just that, I feel... guilty. I could have stopped it if I hadn't been blody unconscious!" Rogue cried.

Storm was speechless for a couple of minutes but found her voice eventually. "How could you think that? Melissa loved you Rogue, she could never blame you!" Storm hgged Rogue as she cried silently.

"I wish she was here."

"I know, Rogue. We all do, but it'll be ok." This made Rogue cry more, and Storm realized this is what Melissa had told her. "Melissa was a very brilliant woman. She was brave, clever and everything I can see you turn into." Rogue looked Storm in the eye.

"She was just like you Rogue. You're a fighter Rogue, and Lord knows that you're going to _win _someday." Rogue thought about this for a moment, then she said: "I'm going to find Magneto some day. I'm going to get him for what he did to her." Storm could tell she had made up her mind.

"I know you will," Storm whispered into her hair. "I know you will."

_**Well, that's all. Thanks for reading (if anyone is reading this...) and I hope you enjoyed it. Again, feel free to tell me all my mistakes Well thanks for reading and I'll be sure to have some new stories out soon!**_


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